This popular show has reached more eardrums than many of its Spring '93 counterparts, quite possibly because Dan Healy generously hooked up the attending tapers with the soundboard recording. The stacked setlist and the high quality of the performance have surely drawn in a lot of listeners through the grapevine as well.

There are a number of highlights you could cherry-pick. So many, in fact, that you may as well just enjoy the whole enchilada.

This is a pretty famous Jack Straw. You’ve got rarities like Spanish Jam and Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds, but also beloved semi-deep cuts like Roses and Crazy Fingers. Then you have the clever placements: Stagger Lee as the second show of the night. A roaring Here Comes Sunshine exploding with color to open the second set. Box of Rain out of PITB. A rocking GDTRFB out of Spanish Jam. The way they glued all of this together is ingenious! It keeps you guessing, and it keeps you amazed.

The whole show is excellent. There's no weak point. It's mightily strong throughout, full of spirit and intent. The SBD is so clean that you can hardly hear the crowd, but the band was clearly feeding off of some high energy from the deadhead hoard.

And how about the band’s sound? Jerry’s purified guitar tone from that era is certainly one of the finest he ever used. Weir and Welnick had evolved from their ‘91-’92 MIDI approach, and were deploying more tasteful, shiny effects. Lesh was way up in the mix, and the drummers were locked in with rather skeletal, simplified kits that perfectly complimented Jerry's buttery country tone and Weir's avant-garde fuzz.

The 90’s were a roller coaster, but I’d say the December ‘92-Spring ‘93 stretch saw the Grateful Dead on an upward trajectory. They knocked this one out of the park, forever cementing 3/24/93 as one of the primary spokesperformances of the acclaimed Spring 1993 tour.

You know our love will not fade away.

as noted the space>spanish jam through rest of show sparkles, as it did much of the rest of show. the flow and vibe of the show are both variables that go into earning a five-star. there's plenty of good '93 shows -- the naysayers are entitled to their opinion, but this '77 thru '95 tour-goer gives five stars. and like maine shows, for some reason many of the shows in north carolina -- duke in '78 and '82 -- and in greensboro and charlotte through the 80's -- kicked ass. this show is another.

The post drums/space is really the cherry on top of a phenomenal snow. Top Spanish Jam.

bbbb

STAGGER LEE!my favorite one so far + jerrys flute jam man i miss that!!

I went into this show trying to broaden my horizons from the usual early-to-mid 70's shows that I usually gravitate to and I have to say I was very impressed. TREMENDOUS playing and a great setlist. Listening to this makes me wonder how the 90's stuff gets such a bad rap.

Entire show rocks from beginning to end.

One of the best (if not THE best) Crazy Finger's I've ever heard. I usually try to make it through the complete show before revisiting any particular moments, but I had to start the Crazy Fingers over and let my wife hear it. Incredible.

Can't really think of ANY weak moments in this show except for maybe Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, which admittedly, is not a favorite song. Not that it matters, though. By that time it's time to go home anyway. Fantastic show and by far one of the best 80's / 90's Dead shows I've had the pleasure and privilege to listen to.

Very nice show, for 1993.. The Roses is real nice until they don't quite make it out of the solo in one piece...Let it grow has the midi trumpet during the first solo over the verse, which is nice. Crazy Fingers is quite good also, well sang and the solo is good, Jerry is tracking his notes well; its on the mellow side but the jam at the end shapes up rather nicely and they melt back into a Playin jam to ride out into drums.

This was the last show I ever saw, the last time Jerry ever "rocked my soul".

As others have said, I don't know what's up with all the 5 Star ratings. I mean, it's a good show & all, and there are some DEFINITE highlights, but 5 stars? Compared to what?? I mean, it's true that you can't really compare a show from the 90's with a show from 70's, so for 1993, who knows, maybe it was 5 Stars? Probably largely depends on what, uh, "substances" you were on . . . That said, I have to say that there was an unusual, tangible energy in the air that night. It really did seem that everyone was extra amped up & excited, like they really expecting something extra special.

IMO they really fired it up & ripped it out from the get-go with "Jack Straw".

One thing that I don't remember anyone else mentioning was Jerry's vocals on "It Must Have Been The Roses". IMO one of the things that made Jerry such a treasure was his ability to sing such emotional intensity. So is it just me, or were his vocals on this version extraordinarily sweet & tender?

Lots of people have mentioned "Crazy Fingers" and let's face it--how many bad versions of this song have you heard? It's a great song, though for me this one doesn't especially standout.

What does stand out, however, is the GDTRFB--the last few chorus's just ROCKED! At the end of the song when they were kind of just doodling to an end I asked a friend standing next to me "What do you think they're gonna' play next?" and he said "I don't know, but after that they better dig down deep." I kept thinking to myself "Dew it Jerry, DEW IT!!" but alas, they saved "Morning Dew" for the next night & Bobby just went into the same 'ol same 'ol.

Oh well, no matter, it was one hell of a night!! Good times & great memories . . .

i go through periods where i listen to alot of early 70s dead then maybe it will shift to some late 80s then it could shift back to late 60s but lately i have been stuck in the 90s. there's alot of good playing in the post brent days and i think alot of people overlook it. just listen to dicks picks 27 (12/16/92). definitely in my top 5 fav shows. the setlist is as perfect as it gets and the playing is flawless, the whole band is ON and it might be one of their last "great" or "classic" shows. someone below said the 90s were hit or miss. i only half agree with that because overall i think 91-93 were all great years. alot of old songs were dusted off and thrown back into setlists. anyways this show is pretty dam good, check it out.

As much as people bash 90's Dead, I get annoyed with the 70's sometimes as well. Whatever. Make no mistake, this was 'magical' for the 90's or whenever imo. I don't know if i'd say best in the last 3 years... there were a lot of gems in there if you can get past vince/bob cheese fest. The 90s brought us some of the best of the jerry ballads, ever. This night the gem might have been the 'roses'..of course the LSdiamons. And 93 jerry was with it for sure. HCSunshine was big for the time, and of course Box of rain was huge as well. I don't know about best crazy fingers ever, but it was good for the time. I also don't know if I'd say best of any song, I believe it is totally relevant to the time period is how you judge best ever. Guess what, it may seem like it is cool to bash 90s dead but ya had to be there, i GUESS. Seems like a bandwagon thing at this point. Don't hate if you cant relate.

Disregard the previous review, this show is hot! I agree that the early years(especially 72-74) are clearly better than anything 90's, but there are still awesome shows from the later years. This is a great example of a badass 90's show, my favorite show of the last three years of the band. As mentioned before the crazy fingers is top notch. Also, the entire post drums part of the show is spectacular. Check youtube for the video!

Wow, is this really that good of a show from this "era'? I am trying to expand my horizons and listen to shows from the "ending years" but,I have to admit, it is extremely difficult. I read reviews that say... the "best version of lucy in the sky" ??? I'm scared to think what a bad one sounds like. "Best Crazy Fingers ever".. Thats utterly ridiculous. "What else can I say but it was a MAGICAL night" (Seriously, was this really magical for this time period?) I only ask these questions becasue I am trying to keep an open mind and listen to shows from this time frame, but, if these comments above are in fact accurate, I hate to say it, but, there is no reason to go and listen to anymore. If anyone has any suggestions where i might find some "more interesting material" please let me know!!

While '93 was the last "tolerable" year, there were some gems. Just listen to GDTRFB, and its FIVE refrains at the end. Jerry just kept going and going, and it's rare when you can hear the crowd screaming over a soundboard mix...

when Jerry was on top of his game(or near) solid shows like this
were the outcome. every song is above average and some excell. the Playin' was the only weak song in my opinion but i think you"ll be pleased overall


God bless the Grateful Dead !!!

I've listened to this Stagger Lee hundreds of times and never get tired of it...very, very tight. Jerry sounds great, and the bridge solo rocks. Box and Crazy Fingers are great too, and one of the better Lucy's.

I was in graduate school at UNC when the Dead came. I did not go to these shows as I was in the middle of doctoral candidacy exams. However, I remember, how this quaint, bucolic college town was absolutely unprepared for the tour to show up on it's doorstep. I had a huge giggle watching southern folks truly not get it. Images of line of cars on Franklin Street and the traffic gridlock still come to mind. And oh, what a sweet Crazy Fingers from the tapes a friend gave me after my exams.

If you have any taste for 90s Dead shows, and I confess that I do (my guilty pleasure), this one is for you. General review:

Jack Straw - takes a while to get off the ground. But after the first verse, when Bobby sings "might as well be me...," suddenly the song explodes. The instrumentals are huge and just the right length. Vocals are weak, Bobby botches a line, but it's all good.
Stagger Lee - holds up well, better than usual (that song had a way of unraveling in 90s shows).
WD Doodle - crisp, well played. Has kind of a stripped-down feel to it compared to some other versions of the song (there's hardly any MIDI or synth), and I like it.
Roses - nice surprise, I believe the first of '93. Performance is average, though.
SIOMWTMBA - underrated Dylan song, like Desolation Row. This is a focused and purposeful performance, although Bob leaves out a verse (the one about the preacher).
TN Jed - not really memorable. But not bad either.
Let it Grow - one of the better performances of the era. Sounds a lot like the Without a Net version, with some MIDI added for effect.
HC Sunshine - I played this for my wife, a non-head, and she winced at the opening vocals; I can't say I blame her. The downside of SBDs is they can be very unforgiving. But if you get past that part, it builds this momentum that's irresistible. It has a real otherworldy feel.
Playin' - not much there, but basically well executed. Gotta love the Crazy Fingers tease at the end.
Box of Rain - again, soundboards can be unforgiving, especially when it's Phil's voice and he's butchering some lyrics. But the song continues that "otherworldy feel" I mentioned previously. This is what the 90s Dead were about.
Crazy Fingers - Lots of good comments below on the classic Crazy Fingers, and I agree. I was at this show, got a tape of it a few weeks later, and Crazy Fingers has been one of my favorites ever since. Just turn off the lights and give this one a listen. Wow.
Drums/Space - check out the mini-Spanish jam (not quite fully formed, but it's definitely there).
GDTRFB - very high energy performance with good rhythm section and keyboards. I think they know they've had a good show, they're near the end and they're enthusiastic.
Throwing Stones - one of the better versions of this song.
NFA - I can never tell one performance of NFA from another, but this one took advantage of high crowd energy at the end.
Lucy in the Sky - what can I say, I never thought this was quite their song. But it was fun to sing along at the Dean Dome.

maybe not though- since i didnt re-listen. but i'm familiar with this show and dont remember guests.

Listen to Let It Grow. Who is on the Sax? Marselis?

I think the problem is that you can't review 92-95 like you would a '72 or '77 show. The later shows became more hit and miss. There are some '93 points that are amazing. I think overlooked in this show is a wonderful Stagger Lee. Not jammed out at the end, but Jerry nails it. Also an interesting set list. The GDTRFB is quite ferocious if you ask me and the Crazy Fingers is great. Plus a Spanish Jam?! You have to look at this show in comparison with the rest of that tour and the time period. This show is good for the time period, also see 3/16 for the most perfect So Many Roads you'll hear. Also see summer '93! Remember: look at the highlights, if you look at the show as a whole, you may be disappointed. For you '93 doubters, check out the Post Terrapin Jam from 6/23, Stranger > Brown Eyed from 6/26, Ramble on Rose and Let it Grow from 3/10, Uncle John's from 3/16 and the Fire from 6/5.

I've had this in my collection but never listened. Nice first set.

Wobbly HCS opens #2 but is nicely played. Playin a tad short, but has nice Jerry leads and does the trick. Everything else is well played too. GDTRFB and NFA have that old style tempo and guitar sections. Lucy IT Sky is one of the best versions they played ever, as Jerry pretty much botched the lyrics to most of the later versions. This one is perfect!

This sounds great (too great---it sounds as if the audience has been vacuumed from the arena) but is an extremely tame show. I had a pal at UNC and I had moved to BC, Canada so, altho' I'd done Greensboro in '89, I missed the chance to "walk home" after a show. I would have been more enthusiastic, I suspect. But the Playin' is just not there (go to Cal Expo of the same year and compare. I know that's extreme of me but this one doesn't even approach the middle ground---and a weak Playin' can tell you a lot about the rest of a show).

'93 wasn't all bad as the hardcores like to say but I'm discovering what those great shows are comparatively speaking.

http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/SmithDean.htm

Modern-era Here Comes Sunshine great example of what later-day era Dead could have been (and was, on some nights when they actually did nail that accapela vocal intro. powerful when it's on, and sometimes even when its not). aint that just like the good ol GD).

I checked this one out to reminisce on an era I kind of missed out on......this is an above average show for the era, don't compare this to previous years. Not a bad show at all. There's certainly no "best version of...." here.

I'm in the minority, but I find nothing that exciting about this show. It sounds good, but both setlists are rather boring and the playing is average. maybe I'll give another listen.

I did and i'm still baffled. And the crazy fingers? Very nice but the best of all time? Not only do i see this on the reviews here but others reference it in other years. Man either this is overated or i'm missing the boat

This show is a smoker. The 'Fingers' is absolutely beautiful, but it all about the post-drumz here. The Spanish jam is wicked and begins an all-time massive GDTRFB>Stones>NFA. Whoever said the stones is mediocre is simply deaf, it is possibly the best post-90's throwing. Only lucy in the sky could finish this one off, and if you haven't heard this show get it now!

that the Throwing Stones here is one the all time best versions.

The recording is incredibly clean and crisp - maybe even a teensy bit TOO clean. Jack Straw, Playin' and Crazy Fingers are like transcendantly good - I agree with a previous reviewer that this might be an all time best 'Fingers.
Unfortunately, the band kinda struggles on potential gems like Sunshine, Box, Stones and Lucy.

is perfect, the quality of recording is great,Jerry sings it well and the solo's are rainbow like if you will.

I had a tape of this show, I don't know who gave it to me, and only the date was legible. Thanks to this website, I know much more. I really think the band was tight this show, and did things a little differently in some songs. I like the that Gerry, Bob, and Phil, all sing songs. It's my favorite Not fade I can recall by them.

one of the most perfect "crazy fingers" from ANY year. Also great vocals and sound on HC Sunshine. This show is what 93 is all about. Forget 8/22 and 9/22, this one takes the cake. Period.

The sound (thanks to the Healy patch) is superb, and the show is one of the best of the year. It's not extensively jammed ('though the Spanish Jam is superb), but the band is hot. The entire set list is well-played, and there is clearly a lot of very positive energy at this show. This is my favorite from the last four years.

4 stars for sound alone. Setlist is good, but I agree on the short Playin'. As for performance, this is the best of 93, but that being said, still only gets 3 stars IMO when you compare to 5 star ratings from other time periods (68-69, 72-74, 77-85, 87-90).

3 stars overall.

Don't get too excited the playin is about half as long as they use to play it, not much for energy but good setlist.Lucy sounded like they even practiced it.High concentration of tar heel wienies though. If they played this list in 90 it would have been a fiver

Great high energy show fro '93 with a truly notable 2d set. HC Sunshine was still a novelty and the jam out of crazy fingers is very well done. I found the playin' a bit too short for my taste, but the inclusion of box of rain in an unusual 3d song slot actually made it better, imo. Lengthy space segment into a strong back end, including a very zesty and jammed out "Spanish Jam" (w/JG leaning heavily on his midi effect trumpet) and some nice Welnick leads during Goin' Down the Road.

Nice sounding SBD as well.

Recommended

I remember how taken aback I was when my taper buddy Paul asked me to disconnect my deck from my normal setup because "Healy's giving out board patches!" The energy was at insane levels *before* this happened, so you can probably guess that us tapers, a tense bunch by nature, went *ape shit* when we realized the patch was happening. Still skeptical and paranoid about the potential of leaving a show without a tape, I scrounged up another deck for my audience set-up. Everything went smooth, and I walked out with a SBD and an AUD of the show. How often does that happen? :) :) :)

the BS story about the patch, this was a great show, the AMS recording should be just as good - Healey was in an "anything goes" mood.

The ticking sound in Wave To The Wind, is a click track - as verified by Howard Danchick. The cymbal sounds coming in and out, was Garcia stepping on and off his microphone mat - as confirmed by Dan Healey.

The BS part, is that there were no "lead deck" per se'. Dan had Howard put out 6-way XLR boxes (1 for L/1 for R) so there were a minimum of SIX lead decks running (I know, as I was one of them). So, previously published stories about "one lead deck", etc., are BS - the LEAD DECK was the SV-3700 in Dans rack, which is where the feed for the 6 way boxes came from. The only "cajones" Ron Keyser has, is regarding the story he spun about this patch.

This was seeded to "The Well" by me - so it is in heavy circulation, and copies were FEDEX'd to Gans so he could play the Lucy in the Sky that weekend on the Dead hour...

Rick

what a show, this could be my favourite crazy_fingers->jam. so sweet!!!!! probably not the best in term of guitar playing, but you'll hear so much emotion... incredible one... jack straw and stagger lee are others highlights

The traffic getting to this place was terrible. But once inside, all that pent-up energy was released. The cycle of energy between band and audience was totally there that night. This is a superior show for '93. It's more like a 1990 or 1991 show but Jerry's playing a different guitar so it's distinctively '93. Jerry is very ON from the Jack Straw to the end. Sweet midi in Let It Grow and nicely jammed Spanish Jam. What else can I say but it was a MAGICAL night!!

Thanks to Ron Keyser for having the cojones and luck to be at the right place to get a SBD patch to capture this show. This is one of the last truly great dead shows. ENjoy!!

Thanks for the excellent soundboard and long live Dean Smith, whoever he is.

You're obviously not a golfer. This is a really great '93 show, 2nd set especially. The false start to Crazy Fingers showed some real playfulness, and HCS was very solidly played (I actually loved Vince's playing on it). Chapel Hill went nuts when the Dead came to town; some of that energy must have made it into the Dean Dome. UNC Basketball won the national title a couple of weeks later. There has never been a better time to be a Tar Heel.